Well boy. Patrick Manning's behaviour is just getting crazier and crazier by the week. What de mudder the man really think people will say when he decide to storm the radio station of 94.1FM on October 25th ? Manning say , “If the spirit moves me,” he will visit media houses to complain if he disapproves of the content they produce. Maybe the spirit should tell him to stop talkin and actin so friggin crazy. Well now everybody have an opinion about this storming business. I'll give ya the wrap. 
Well first things first, really almost everybody agree that it was wrong and came across as intimidation on the part of the Prime Minister. Manning say it have no pro-government agenda media. I guess he ain't get the message yet that people up to they arse with stress from crime, food, inflation and the public doh really like him too much anymore. Media houses, how dare you complain about crime and wasteful spending on the part of the PNM! Why are you trying to make the PNM look bad?!
Energy Minister Conrad Enill (apparently singing for his supper?) gone and declare to all how "nowhere in the world is news reporting as bad as here in T&T.” I guess Mr. Enill didn't realize that when he makes such a dumbass biased statement all by he-self, losing all his integrity as an impartial and intelligent man, the media ain't have to even try to make up something bad to say about he! They just have to keep his comments on repeat in the public eye and we will all realize what a jackass we have for an Energy Minister.
Louis Lee Sing say how “I commend him (Manning) for finally bringing his concerns to our attention, in a manner that must force all of us to stop and think—that is, if you can think—about your roles as media practitioners in a plural society.” and how “This single action by the prime minister has been, in my view, most
fortuitous as it has brought centre stage the burning issues of
professionalism within the media.” - Trinidad Guardian Nov 12th, 2008
Lee Sing is a man who know a ting or two about burning issues of professionalism - his own radio station I95 FM employs one of the most unprofessional broadcasters in the history of Trini media. George "Umbala" Joseph instigated what eventually turned out to be a landmark libel case started because of comments Umbala made during his talk show on Lee Sing's i95 FM radio station.
"Radio talk show host George “Umbala” Joseph sued Partap and Newsday for libel arising out of Partap’s letter to the Editor, published on December 11, 2004 in response to Joseph who had described UNC’s parliamentarians on his I95 FM Radio programme as “malicious”.
It was a landmark judgment in the High Court regarding the right of an individual to respond to a public attack and the responsibility of a newspaper to make available to the public the reply to such attack. High Court Justice Peter Jamadar, presiding in the San Fernando High
Court, threw out Joseph's libel claim and said Joseph criticized the UNC "in the most disrespectful and demeaning manner when he mocked the UNC in tone, attitude and content, by repeatedly referring to the UNC as “United Nasty Canesuckers.”
Justice Jamadar said that he found Joseph to have been “deliberately evasive and unhelpful if not untruthful” when questioned about the comments. The judge ordered the Umbala Joseph to pay Partap and Newsday’s legal costs in the matter. George‘Umbala’ Joseph was ordered to pay $70,000 in costs.
- Newsday April 3rd, 2007
Lee Sing also make it clear that he doh agree with what Enill say. Apparently Lee Sing don't want to look like he is a dumbass too. I really cannot understand how Lee Sing can run a station that employs a talk show host as unprofessional and biased as George Umbala Joseph, yet be complaining about lack of media professionalism in a plural society. I guess the man really mean do as I say, not as I do?
Ken Gordon say it was clearly intimidation on the part of the Prime Minister and that Manning was wrong. He even went as far as to say "to go to the extent of suspending people on the basis of what was clearly a misguided and unqualified attempt to intimidate them was wrong.” He also said “an even greater crime” than the visit of the PM to the station was “ the fact that they have allowed so many stations to go unbridled without any attempt to pull them in when the behaved excessively.” Broadcasters have to conform to professional standards else face the penalty. In Trinidad we know how impossible it is to follow though on penalizing misconduct!
94.1 - The Station - suspend the two broadcasters - well I dunno what would have happened to that station manager if he didn't do something to appease the Prime Minister.
The Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago condemned the actions of Prime Minister Manning. In response to MATT's statement Lee Sing say "I am aghast that the Media Association has seen this purely as an opportunity to fight in the media with the prime minister!" Seriously, yuh getting closer and closer to doing the Enill with that statement eh Lee Sing.
The Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) say it is unacceptable for an organization or person “who is of the view that he has been wronged” to “enter the premises of a broadcaster to have the incorrect information corrected.” “In a democracy, to have a prime minister do so is unacceptable as it can be interpreted as an abuse of power and a threat to freedom of the press, because such action may be perceived as intimidatory,” - Trinidad Guardian Nov 8th 2008
The Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT) say how if Manning lodges a complaint with them, they could not do anything because of the absence of a broadcast code. What?! What yuh mean we doh have a broadcast code? Say what?! Isn't that the same thing like running a country without havin any laws to follow as guidelines? Oh stupid me, is so the country really being run yes - running just like the media - without any standards.
(Gordon, Lee Sing and Manning pics are copyright the Trinidad Guardian. Enill's pic is copyright the NGC. Umbala Joseph's pic is copyright the TrinidadandTobago news blog).
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